From the Guidelines
The recommended daily caloric intake for older patients is 30 kcal per kg body weight and day, which should be individually adjusted based on nutritional status, physical activity level, disease status, and tolerance. This guidance is supported by the most recent and highest quality study, 1, which provides a strong consensus (93%) for this recommendation.
Key Considerations
- The caloric needs of older adults should be determined on an individual basis, taking into account their current weight, health conditions, medications, and activity level 1.
- Protein intake should be at least 1 g per kg body weight and day, with individual adjustments based on nutritional status, physical activity level, disease status, and tolerance 1.
- Older adults should focus on nutrient-dense foods to maintain adequate protein intake and support muscle mass, as well as sufficient calcium and vitamin D for bone health.
- Rapid weight loss should be avoided in older adults, as it can accelerate age-related muscle loss and potentially worsen frailty 1.
- Combining dietary changes with regular physical activity, including resistance training, provides the best approach for healthy weight management in older patients.
Individualization of Caloric Needs
- The guiding value for energy intake in older persons is 30 kcal per kg body weight and day, but this value should be adjusted based on individual factors such as nutritional status, physical activity level, disease status, and tolerance 1.
- Healthcare providers should determine specific caloric targets for each patient, taking into account their unique needs and circumstances.
- Nutritional and hydration care for older persons should be individualized and comprehensive, aiming to ensure adequate nutritional intake, maintain or improve nutritional status, and improve clinical course and quality of life 1.
From the Research
Caloric Restriction in Older Patients
- The recommended daily caloric restriction for older patients is not explicitly stated in the provided studies, but it is mentioned that a 30-40% reduction in food intake is apparently required for caloric restriction to be effective in extending lifespan 2.
- Caloric restriction (CR) has been shown to have beneficial effects on improving lifespan and decreasing age-associated diseases by regulating physiological, biochemical, and molecular markers 3.
- A study on middle-aged mice found that caloric restriction with a 40% reduction in calories mitigated neurological damage and reduced amyloid-beta accumulation in the brain 4.
- However, it is emphasized that nutritional intervention aiming at aging control should be established and developed as a custom-made therapeutics for the elderly, who show great individual variation 5.
- Caloric restriction mimetics, which target alteration of pathways of energy metabolism, have been proposed as an alternative approach to mimic the beneficial health-promoting and anti-aging effects of CR without the need to reduce food intake significantly 2, 6.